An evolving technology that is rapidly gaining interest is Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), which leverages electronic data to mitigate data from reading (e.g., scanning bar codes) and/or opening containers to obtain product information. Suitable electronic product data can include electronic product code (EPC) data, as well as other product-related data. A typical EPC is a unique number bit-encoded and embedded in an RFID tag (a small silicon chip with one or more antennas) affixed to an associated product. An RFID reader is a device that can be utilized to read and/or write RFID tag data, depending on read/write privileges. Data stored in the RFID tag can include product data such a product type, a unique product code, source information, and destination information, for example. Thus, data read from the RFID tag can be utilized to provide a greater degree of certainty over what goes into a supply chain and how to manage raw materials, warehouse inventory, shipments, logistics, and/or various other aspects of manufacturing.
In clinical trials, for example, medication and other related items are packaged and distributed to clinical research facilities. Subjects (e.g., patients or healthy people) are treated there in order to test newly-developed drugs, for example. If the subject drops out of the trial or the trial ends, the remaining medication(s) and related medical items need to be accounted for. For example, visit boxes are assembled with the required mediations and related items (e.g., needles) for each patient. When the trial is over, the remaining medications and related items in the visit box need to be returned and accurately accounted for. This can mean that reconciliation down to the pill level (“pill counting”) is required. Additionally, the used visit boxes may contain used needles and broken vials, for example. Consequently, the opening and handling of such a used visit box involves a high security and health risk for the staff. Thus, there is an unmet need in the art for an improved technique that facilitates the automatic reconciliation of packaging and contents.